The city of Raleigh has permanently closed the Red Hat Amphitheater on Cabarrus Street as contractors prepare to begin demolition within weeks for a multi‑million dollar expansion of the Raleigh Convention Center. The move marks a significant turn in downtown redevelopment aimed at growing tourism and boosting economic activity around Fayetteville Street.
Project scope and timing
City officials say contractors will begin mobilizing for demolition in about two weeks. The former amphitheater site will be absorbed into the convention center expansion footprint. An Omni Hotel is already under construction to support the larger convention space. The city also plans to open a replacement Red Hat Amphitheater one block south, with officials expecting it to open in June.
Sales and marketing ramp up
Convention and tourism leaders have begun promoting the expanded facility. According to tourism officials, the convention center sales team “just started selling the expanded building literally this month,” with active outreach beginning in October. Sales leaders say they are already receiving interest from groups planning future events.
What local businesses are saying
Downtown business owners say the redevelopment influenced investment decisions. Glenn Shiver, who purchased The Haymaker cocktail bar earlier this year, said the convention center project was a major factor in his decision to buy the business. The Haymaker is located one block from the convention center and Shiver told reporters he sees the expansion and the new Omni hotel as potential drivers for increased foot traffic and visibility for establishments along Fayetteville Street.
- Closed venue: Red Hat Amphitheater on Cabarrus Street has permanently closed.
- Replacement: New amphitheater planned one block south, targeting a June opening.
- Support infrastructure: Omni Hotel under construction to serve expanded convention capacity.
“The convention center sales team just started selling the expanded building literally this month, earlier in the month. Kicked that off in October,”
Local impact and considerations
City and tourism leaders frame the project as an effort to grow Raleigh’s profile as a convention destination. For downtown merchants and restaurateurs, a larger convention center and adjacent hotel could mean more consistent group business and event‑driven customers. But redevelopment also brings short‑term disruption: demolition, construction staging and shifts in pedestrian patterns will affect nearby businesses during the build-out.
| Item | Current status |
|---|---|
| Red Hat Amphitheater (Cabarrus) | Permanently closed; demolition starting soon |
| Replacement amphitheater | Planned one block south; expected opening in June |
| Convention Center | Expansion underway; sales team actively marketing |
| Omni Hotel | Under construction to support expanded center |
City officials and tourism leaders must balance the long‑term promise of increased tourism revenue with the immediate realities of construction impacts and changes to the entertainment landscape downtown. Business owners like Shiver are already positioning to capitalize on future demand, but the transition will require coordination between the city, developers and local merchants to minimize disruptions and ensure that benefits are broadly felt across the community.
As the city moves into the demolition phase, residents and local business owners will be watching for detailed schedules, traffic and noise mitigation plans, and information about how the new amphitheater and expanded convention center will integrate with existing downtown streetscapes and cultural assets.
